Hello From Washington/Oregon (Vancouver/Portland Area)

[wannabe]

I am pre-new to ranching, if everyone understand me. I have no background in farming, ranching whatsoever. I always like animals. Not the kind of animals lovers that become vegan, blinding oneself from the fact that animals have their parts in ecosystem and human life. I am up with culling, so maintain healthy animals, for working purpose and for food.

I am far from retirement age, but older than college age. Looking to get out of the city. I am looking for apprenticeship like to learns the ropes about leasing lands, animals husbandry, maintenance around the farm... Ideally I would like to move to Texas, as I feel in the long run, the West Coast woke culture ain't appreciating what ranchers' contribution.

So, I am happy to be here in this forum.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Welcome, it's pretty quiet around here these days but lots of good reading in the archives.
There was a ton of knowledge kicking around here at one time.

 

[Faster horses]

Welcome. And Big Muddy Rancher is right. It's as quiet here as ever, even more so lately, but it was a great place in the past. Before Facebook, I would say.
But we're all family here, cuz we are the die-hards.
If you have a question, feel free to ask it.

 

[wannabe]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I had joined since May last year, and have been spending time reading, and doing extra research on YouTube.

If it is my own farm, my preference would be meat goat farm, but I am open to learn from cow/cattle, sheep, chicken, pig ranchers...

By the way, I am still single (yet to marry), so I have the flexibility of moving out and starting. So my main question right now is how I can get my feet wet in, without being drowned.

To be honest, it's most challenging thing right now since I am stepping into a field that is unknown due to my background. Something someone grow up on a farm may pick up naturally, I may as well need it to be spelt out. For example, I am a dog owner for most part of my life so far. I had my taste changed about what handsome healthy dog would look, as well as non papered mixed/mutt dog if well selected can be better than expensive dogs with pedigree tracing back to before my parents birth. I couldn't understand how ranchers can have a dog pack and living with other animals especially working most of the day outdoors in extreme weather; before I actually do my research on to ranching where all the work help keep dogs mentally and physically healthy. The mainstream pet veterinarian system distort the true outlook of life for me. Healthy and quality dogs/animals are selected based the health, mental strength, contribution/ability to work... Breeding for exotic look is mostly counter productive, resource wasteful for the owners (some breeders make money by pushing exotic look, but it's not very sustainable due to trend changes, and high cost of upkeeping of unhealthy animals).

 

[webfoot]

There is a lot of ranches in both Oregon and Washington. You just need to get away from that woke culture in the Portland and Seattle area. In Oregon everything east of the Cascades except the area right around Bend is all farms and ranches. Take a couple days on the back roads and through the small towns in Eastern Oregon. You might be amazed at what you will find.

 

[wannabe]

There is a lot of ranches in both Oregon and Washington. You just need to get away from that woke culture in the Portland and Seattle area. In Oregon everything east of the Cascades except the area right around Bend is all farms and ranches. Take a couple days on the back roads and through the small towns in Eastern Oregon. You might be amazed at what you will find.

Hello there.

Thanks for the info. I am not exactly having issue with the Oregonian ranchers. My concern is that in a longer run, they big mouth crowd may be able to mess up the leagitration here.

I remembered this crazy push a few years ago.

Oregon Bill to BAN Livestock – Stunning War on Farming/Ranching

Oregon Bill IP13 would criminalize raising food animals in the state, and reclassify animal husbandry practices as “sexual assault.” The bill specifies that animals can only be eaten af…

www.iceagefarmer.com

Oregon Ballot Initiative Would Criminalize Hunting, Livestock Slaughter, Even Pest Control -

Hunting, breeding livestock, even pest control would be all but illegal under a ballot initiative backed by Oregon animal rights activists and opposed by

protecttheharvest.com

It's an ongoing push, and here and there in Portland metro, I can overhear people discuss about it (I have a dog, so I go to places where the "animal lovers" gather).

Group Revives Push to Outlaw Hunting, Fishing & Ranching in Oregon - Elkhorn Media Group

PORTLAND — An animal rights ballot initiative is underway in Oregon that seeks to make ...Read More

elkhornmediagroup.com

Perhaps it's just paranoid on my part, but personally I would prefer moving to the South, so I have a peace of mind to focus on ranching for however long I can live, and not to worry about some crazies pulling the rug under me. That's being said, I wouldn't turn down the chance to learn from an Oregonian/Washington ranchers for the time being.

 

[DosArroyos]

Where are you from and were do you live now?

 

[webfoot]

No shortage of crazies in Texas either. Any time you get near a city you will find them.

 

[wannabe]

Where are you from and were do you live now?

I moved to Vancouver, WA for some months now, to share a room, so as to cut cost of rent. I used to live in Portland priorly. Portland metro and Vancouver, WA are closeby.

I originally came from South Asia. Raised there for half of my current life. Then migrated to US and live here since (naturalized as citizen and all). Not a drinker, smoker, substance abuser... After a long soul searching, I realized most of what I am interested in pointing toward becoming a ranchers. Something that is not culturally appreciated where I came from, so much that I was totally clueless at what I am compatible and truly want, when I was in school.

Only around the COVID clockdowns madness, I started to realize things in my blindspots and when everything kinda clicked. America is a beautifully and the hard working ranchers and farmers are "greener" and more responsible with their duty to the environment and the society in comparison to where I came from. But somehow the media ran by some crazies always try to paint a different picture, selling American dream away for some illusion in foreign countries if you're to follow their agenda.

Perhaps, the rant is more suitable for the political section of the forum. Please excuse me for the outburst.

No shortage of crazies in Texas either. Any time you get near a city you will find them.

I am well aware the crazies are everywhere. What I am concerned is the legislation side of things. Feel like someone pulling the string to get the PNW to accelerate some nonsensical agenda.

Texas maybe preferred, but I am all for planting my root in Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia... I am all for learning from a Oregonian's ranch Washington's ranch, but I'm aware that by saying what I did, people here in Oregon and Washington, may feel it is not worth it to take me in with only shorter apprenticeship. I am sorry if I may say some thing bad.

 

[Alaska-Rancher]

The only hope for a dream like yours to come true is to find a help mate (woman) that is determined to make it work with you, then head to the last frontier.

 

[Peach]

The best teacher is"hands-on". That is how anyone growing up on a ranch learned. Find the type of ranching that looks good to you and ask to work for one that has good healthy livestock and is successful at it. Most ranchers can use someone willing to work hard and learn.

 

[DosArroyos]

First thing is to start out with a million dollars,get someone to let you use 5,000 to 6,000 thousand acre of good watered grass land for nearly nothing and the acreage already comes stocked with about 300 bred momma cows with calves at their side.If you can get all that put together you might be able to make the million dollars last you 30 years depending on how many drought years you go thru.

 

[redrobin]

I am pre-new to ranching, if everyone understand me. I have no background in farming, ranching whatsoever. I always like animals. Not the kind of animals lovers that become vegan, blinding oneself from the fact that animals have their parts in ecosystem and human life. I am up with culling, so maintain healthy animals, for working purpose and for food.

I am far from retirement age, but older than college age. Looking to get out of the city. I am looking for apprenticeship like to learns the ropes about leasing lands, animals husbandry, maintenance around the farm... Ideally I would like to move to Texas, as I feel in the long run, the West Coast woke culture ain't appreciating what ranchers' contribution.

So, I am happy to be here in this forum.

Come to Arkansas. Leases are cheap. One word of caution, leases usually are given to someone the landlord knows will take decent care of the property here. A second word of caution, most of the fun work we owners do, apprentices or cheap help get the bad work. Are you a man or a woman?

 

[wannabe]

Come to Arkansas. Leases are cheap. One word of caution, leases usually are given to someone the landlord knows will take decent care of the property here. A second word of caution, most of the fun work we owners do, apprentices or cheap help get the bad work. Are you a man or a woman?

A man.

In a long run, would apprentices learn to do the fun work, even though not doing it just by seeing from afar? I ask here because I don't have farming background. While I am told by people around me that I am bright on academic side, and factory work side; it's a different kind of ball game with ranching, animal husbandry...

It's totally understandable that landlords expect a competent responsible land carer. A good pasture from I what I heard would take years to establish and maintain. For the same reason, I'm trying to doing some preparation at least mentality about the expectation from the landlords side. Thanks for being honest, and straightforward.

The best teacher is"hands-on". That is how anyone growing up on a ranch learned. Find the type of ranching that looks good to you and ask to work for one that has good healthy livestock and is successful at it. Most ranchers can use someone willing to work hard and learn.

Thanks.

How do I express these qualities to the eyes of potential ranchers? For the job in town, and factory work, it's very straightforward for me previously because of resume, school grade, attendance, acceptable down time and production output monitored by computer. Coming from different background, to be honest, I am not sure the exact of the expectation for these qualities from a rancher's point of view.

 

[wannabe]

The only hope for a dream like yours to come true is to find a help mate (woman) that is determined to make it work with you, then head to the last frontier.

To be honest, I was totally oblivious about the prospect of ranching up there until I see you post. Is it forgiving for totally inexperienced wannabe rancher couples to start up there? Only favorable thing I can get from Google search is the land cost is cheaper and/but the housing cost/building is on the expensive region in comparison to many of the 48.

First thing is to start out with a million dollars,get someone to let you use 5,000 to 6,000 thousand acre of good watered grass land for nearly nothing and the acreage already comes stocked with about 300 bred momma cows with calves at their side.If you can get all that put together you might be able to make the million dollars last you 30 years depending on how many drought years you go thru.

I am sorry. I didn't know that this is meant for millionaires on top of powerball winning luck.

 

[Alaska-Rancher]

Not true, I started out without even a car! Had a wife and 2 toddlers. I'm 85yrs old now and still have a small angus herd. Our Tanana Valley is where you would want to be

 

[webfoot]

To be honest, I was totally oblivious about the prospect of ranching up there until I see you post. Is it forgiving for totally inexperienced wannabe rancher couples to start up there? Only favorable thing I can get from Google search is the land cost is cheaper and/but the housing cost/building is on the expensive region in comparison to many of the 48.


I am sorry. I didn't know that this is meant for millionaires on top of powerball winning luck.

You need to realize it isn't cheap to get into ranching. I am retired and have a pretty good retirement. I run some cows because I like to do it. It gives me something to do everyday. But there is no way I could live on what I make off cattle. I have 60 cows in the field right now. I bought them October & November. They cost me $73,500. To make a living off a cow/calf operation it is more like 300 cows. At the price I paid that cost $367,500. That is just for the cows. Not including hay, tractors, pickup and stock trailer, squeeze chute and handling facilities., etc etc. And of course land is the big one. Real tough to afford to buy it. Even leasing the landowner is going to want some cash up front.
Find the local Farm Service Agency (FSA). They have beginning farmer programs. You wont be ready to jump in right now but talk to them and learn what you can about their programs.

 

[Faster horses]

Excellent advice, webfoot.

 

[DosArroyos]

Be careful with the FSA.They have "New" farmer/rancher programs but if you get in when you still lack 4 or 5 years getting to a point that you need to fall back on them or get the "New" farmer programs they have,they'll tell ya that you don't qualify anymore because you been signed up for the little programs for so long.

 

[wannabe]

You need to realize it isn't cheap to get into ranching. I am retired and have a pretty good retirement. I run some cows because I like to do it. It gives me something to do everyday. But there is no way I could live on what I make off cattle. I have 60 cows in the field right now. I bought them October & November. They cost me $73,500. To make a living off a cow/calf operation it is more like 300 cows. At the price I paid that cost $367,500. That is just for the cows. Not including hay, tractors, pickup and stock trailer, squeeze chute and handling facilities., etc etc. And of course land is the big one. Real tough to afford to buy it. Even leasing the landowner is going to want some cash up front.
Find the local Farm Service Agency (FSA). They have beginning farmer programs. You wont be ready to jump in right now but talk to them and learn what you can about their programs.

Thanks for the advice.

Would it be possible to run on smaller scale first, while working 40 hrs per week or part time job in town? I do have some savings (more than 60 cows but not close enough for 300 cows from the price point you quoted). So let's say I get 60 cows. Would the annual revenue be enough to cover the land lease, operating expenses and tax (without much profit for the years until I can gain experience and reinvest my money from job to expand the herd)? My focus is getting the experience about running a ranch correctly while staying afloat.

I will look into FSA programs, but I won't jump right into it as @DosArroyos cautioned.